Hinge.



N0. 880,022. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

H. STILES. Y

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1904.

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Way/8858.-

Mam/A H. STILES. HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1904;

PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

144 mamas.-

rm: NORRIS PETERS the second member of the hinge.

' UNITED srATns PATENT orrron.

HENRY STILES, OF MILES, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILL S. REED, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO.

HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed March 16 1904. Qerial No. 198,327-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY STILEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Miles, county of Ouyahoga, and State of Ohio, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Hinges, of which the following is aspecification, the principle of the invention being herein explained andthe best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, soas to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to hinges, and particularly to such hinges as maybe applied to doors and screens and which are adapted to swing thelatter into their normal closed position and retain them in suchposition when they have been opened and let loose.

It has for its object the construction of a hinge which shall operatethe screen or door, as above stated, by the force of gravity.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain means embodying the invention, such disclosed means comprisingbut one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a general elevation of adoor and casing, showing my invention as applied thereto. Fig. 2represents a plan view of one'of the members of my improved hinge. Fig.3 represents a front elevation of the whole hinge. Fig. 4 represents aside elevation of Fig. 5 represents a modification of my inventionapplied to a door and casing and adapted to allow the door to be swungboth in and out. Fig. 6 represents a front elevation of one of themembers of said modified hinge. Fig. 7 represents a front elevation ofthe second member of saidmodification, and Fig. 8 represents a sideelevation of both members of such modified hinge when assembled.

My improved hinge consists of two members O and D, each of which isadapted to be fastened by any approved means to a door or casing. In theconstruction shown the member O is fastened to the door B and the memberD fastened to the casing A. Each of said members is fastened to the dooror casing by means of small ears 0 cl, joined to the members O D by anysuitable means, but preferably cast integral with the same, as shown.The member O embodies a tubular portion, upon the inner periphery ofwhich is 7 portion (1 of the grooves (Z and d provided a pin or lug c,projecting inwardly, as shown, toward the center of the portion.

The other member D comprises a stud furnished in its upper lateralportion with a vertical groove d, extending downwardly a short distanceand terminating in a helical groove (Z rrmning downwardly around thestud, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 'Assuming that the member O is fastenedto the door B and the member D fastened to the casingA and the doorremoved from the casing, the pin 0 is so positioned in the tubularportion that when the two members of the hinge are assembled the pin 0is adapted to contact the vertical groove (1 when the door is swung wideopen and then slides to the bottom of the same, whereby the door is heldto the casing. Upon releasing the door from the hand the pin 0 commencesto travel in the helical groove (1 and the door is gradually swung shutby the force of gravity, the door shutting without any impetus beinggiven to it in order to start it and swinging gently, so that it doesnot close with an injurious bang, and neither does it swing back andforth after it has once closed.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8the stud of the member D is provided with two vertical grooves d d andwith two helical grooves (Z and (1 running in directions transversely ofeach other, as shown in Fig. 7, and communicating at their upperportions with the grooves d d, these grooves d and d communicating withand terminating within each other at their lowest portions d By thusproviding two helical grooves and two vertical grooves the door may beswung both in and out and may be inserted on the casing upon either sideof the same. However, if it is desired one of the vertical grooves d maybe dispensed with, in which case the door could be hung upon the casingfrom one side only of the latter, but would be enabled still to swingboth in and out by means of the two helical grooves. The operation ofthe pin 0 within the grooves d (1, (P, and d is the same as that of thepin in the grooves d and d of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4,the normal position of the door being a closed one and the pin 0 lyingnormally at the lowest When it is desired to open thedoor, it may bepushed or pulled in either direction, and when released will return bythe force of gravity to its normal closed position in the manner abovedescribed. By thus providing the door with a hinge which is adapted toclose it by the force of gravity the necessity of providing the doorwith a lock or other fastening to keep it closed is obviated. ways beshut, because it cannot of itself remain in any other position. It willnot bang when closing and will not swing back and forth by reason of thewind or other causes.

Any number of hinges may be applied to a door, there being two appliedin the construction illustrated,

It will be seen that the elements common to either form of my hingeabove described are a set of communicating grooves in one member of thehinge, of which grooves at least one is helically disposed, and aprojecting pin in the other member of the hinge, such pin being adaptedto register in such set of grooves. Such set of grooves may comprise, asshown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, a single vertical and a single helicalgroove or, as shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, two vertical and twohelical grooves, and while buta single set of grooves with a single pinregistering therein is shown in the figures referred to and in theaccompanying descriptive matter a plurality of such sets might beadvantageously employed on a hinge of large size.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the ones explained, change being made as regards the meansherein disclosed provided the means stated by any one of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention 1. A hinge, comprising the combination of two members, one ofsaid members consist- The door will aling of a cylindrical stud, theother of said members consisting of a tubular portion adapted to fitover said stud and turn thereon, one of said members being provided inits bearing-surface with a set of communicating vertical and helicalgrooves, the other with a projecting pin adapted to engage such set ofvertical and helical grooves.

2. A hinge, comprising the combination of two members, one of the sameconsisting of a stud provided with communicating vertical and helicalgrooves, and the other member consisting of a tubular portion providedwith a pin adapted to slide in said vertical grooves to secure the twomembers together, and adapted to travel in said helical grooves topermit said second member to turn relatively to said first member.

3. A hinge comprising the combination. of two members, one of the sameconsisting of a stud provided with two vertical grooves in its upperlateral surface, two helical grooves in its lower lateral surface, thelatter grooves running transversely of, and communicating with eachother, each of said helical grooves also commui'iieating with one ofsaid vertical grooves, respectively, and an integral ear for securingsuch stud to a casing; the other of said members comprising a tubularportion provided with a pin adapted to engage said grooves, and anintegral ear for securing such portion to a door, the constructionbeingsuch that the pin of said tubular portion is adapted to slide in saidvertical grooves to secure the door to the casing, and adapted to travelin said helical grooves to allow the door to be swung in eitherdirection, and to allow the door to close by the force of gravity Signedby me this 14th day of March, 1904.

HENRY STILES.

Attest:

D. T. Davms, G. \V. SAYWELL.

